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Basketball from a fans perspective

Figure this one out if you can

Arkansas beat Mizzou rather easily 74-68 on January 4; that was followed on January 7 by a tough match against Vanderbilt which they won 85-82 January 7. Yesterday that same Vanderbilt team pounded number 15 Arkansas 97-84. Don’t tell me the SEC is not one of the toughest conferences in the nation. In addition to this past history we saw Florida serving as host to Mizzou in Gainesville, the Gators managed to overcome a deficit and charge back winning the game over Mizzou 73-64.

I have noted the number of times Mizzou’s been outrebounded, that would not be the case as Florida only had one more rebound. This time if we just check the rest of the box the game was pretty much even. Mizzou hit the boards harder despite the double-double by Florida’s Colin Castleton (16 pts-13 rebs). As usual Kobe Brown led the way for the Tigers scoring 21 points along with 6 rebounds. Mizzou came up short on the road for the second time in a week, they are now 2-3 in the SEC and 13-4 overall. Mizzou now returns home to face Arkansas on Wednesday, hopefully they can place a halt on this two-game losing streak.

A new record

The Spurs set the record, but the Warriors won the game. The final score read 144-113 in favor of the visiting Warriors who were led by Jordan Poole off the bench with 25 points. Donte DiVincenzo also emerged from the bench right behind Poole scoring 22 points, that guy Steph Curry had a rather pedestrian game with 15 points. As for the record, the game was played in the Alamodome, and it set an NBA record with 68,323 in attendance.

The previous NBA record (62,046) was held by the Hawks in a March 1998 game against the Michael Jordan led Bulls. It’s been 50 years since the Spurs moved to San Antonio from Dallas, the Spurs will be celebrating the anniversary all season long. For those who are unfamiliar with the building the Alamodome is a football stadium, it was reconfigured to serve as home court for the Spurs. At the time the Spurs called the building home maximum seating was in the neighborhood of 39,000 fans. You’ve heard the term “nosebleed section”, in the Alamodome that’s a real thing based on where one might be seated.

Not a usual thing

I have no inside information, there’s always been a reluctance on my part to detail names of recruiting prospects. Until there is a signature commitment a changed mind can come into the decision. You are aware of signed prospects saying, “I’ve changed my mind.” With that out of the way I’m going to discuss two with Mizzou offers but no decision yet. The first name I would mention is Kris Parker, he’s a 6-foot 8 175-pound shooting guard. Parker attends Crossroads Academy in Quincy Florida which required a check. I had no idea where Quincy is located and maybe you didn’t either.

The town is about 25 miles north and west of Tallahassee so that answered the geography question. We should also mention the name Blake Butler. He’s enrolled at East Mississippi Community College, he’s a 6-foot 5 210-pound shooting guard who hails from Louisville Kentucky. Chances are Mizzou signs one of the two prospects and enhances the shooting for the 2023-24 collegiate season. Butler would be a red-shirt sophomore should he enroll at Mizzou in the fall. These prospects aside there are unknown issues at work…the transfer portal. You have taken note Dennis Gates was able to provide a starting point for his Mizzou program using this method. Until we get there, we have no idea who or what positions might be filled utilizing the transfer portal.

Doesn’t matter where you play

Statement of fact, at this point the road to the NBA remains open for Emoni Bates. The question is talent and ability to adapt over the fact he’s playing at Eastern Michigan University. Earlier I mentioned one of the all-time greats George ‘Iceman’ Gervin played at the school. NBA draft night the television camera usually catches Kentucky’s John Calipari, there’s a reason the coach has seen a number of his players drafted but he’s not alone. How do you suppose NBA scouts spotted CJ McCollum, after all we don’t think NBA in regard to Lehigh University. McCollum’s certainly had a noteworthy NBA career to date. McCollum is now a member of the Pelicans however he was drafted by the Blazers. His backcourt mate with the Blazers was Dame Lillard from Weber State, again talent has arrived in professional basketball from the Utah school.

The best shooter in the game today…maybe all-time arrived in the NBA from Davidson, I’m speaking of Steph ‘Lights Out’ Curry. If we briefly glanced at the past, we uncover the names of Larry Bird (Indiana State), Steve Nash (Santa Clara), Karl Malone (Louisiana Tech) and Scottie Pippen (Central Arkansas). The student enrollment at many of the institutions named is quite considerable. The point I was attempting to make talent managed to find its way to the NBA from schools generally not in the discussion of basketball powers. If you check the conferences of those named you will uncover the fact none played in the Big 10, Big XII, ACC or SEC. Back to the opening question, does Emoni Bates earn an NBA roster spot? I really have no idea; this I do know. The fact he’s playing at Eastern Michigan will not be a hindrance to him playing in the NBA should he prove talented enough.  

Youth will be served    

Youth will be served or so goes that old adage. This news might have changed by the time you read this although I seriously doubt if it will have changed much. The mock draft of si.com for January 12 was quite interesting, not the names or the positions but the ages. I could say none of the first ten could purchase alcohol legally. They begin at number one with Victor Wembanyama who is age 19, at number 10 is Cason Wallace Kentucky guard also 19. Brandon Miller at Alabama is the “old man” of this mock, he’s number four on their list and 20 years old.

The majority of others are either age 18 or 19. Basketball especially in the NBA has always been a young man’s game, this mock draft if halfway close to being accurate provides us proof. It’s become quite rare for a junior or even a senior to be drafted. Ja Morant might be the most recent exception to the usual pattern; he would be drafted after his sophomore year at Murray State. Is this a bad thing, depends on your perspective. Once upon a time we heard loud screams of complaint from college coaches. Guess what, they managed to adapt their recruiting. Although Kentucky is not having a good season thus far, we might consider John Calipari the king of one and done athletes. That’s one of the reasons Calipari is   always visible at the NBA draft he’s there supporting his players.